Jason Terry believes in Celtics

Mark MurphySaturday, June 15, 2013

Credit: Herald File

Terry

Jason Terry became a Celtic last summer because he believed the team represented his best chance at winning a second NBA championship.

A devastating mix of problems, from injuries and age to Terry’s own subpar performance, got in the way last season. But the 35-year-old guard, who had arthroscopic surgery to remove the plica from his left knee two weeks ago, doesn’t believe the overall team goal has changed.

Danny Ainge is weighing the futures of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, and Doc Rivers is giving serious thought to not coming back, but Terry insists that he’s still in the right place.

Or at least he hopes so.

“Things haven’t changed — not at all,” he said recently. “My understanding is that we’re still trying to win a championship. What moves they make in the offseason is on them. But my goal is to play at the level we need to win a championship.”

Rivers hasn’t discussed his future with anyone at the team’s training facility in Waltham but has talked with Terry about other matters.

“I haven’t talked to him about anything personal,” said Terry. “We talk about next season, and what I have to do moving forward.

“There’s no question in my mind that he’ll be back,” he said. “I assume he’s coming back. But whatever he is considering is his business.”

Terry also has more immediate concerns — namely, his health and a way to rebound from a personally disappointing season.

Knee inflammation, as it turns out, was a season-long problem for Terry that probably limited his performance.

“I felt it all season,” he said. “I finally had to alleviate the discomfort.

“It definitely inhibited me a lot,” said Terry. “I was limited. I hadn’t really been in that position before, playing under that kind of condition. I don’t know ultimately how much it limited me, but I was definitely cautious with the way I was playing.”

According to Terry, Celtics physician Dr. Brian McKeon offered to perform the knee procedure earlier in the season.

Terry instead elected to keep playing, and deal with the surgical option later.

“It was something I believed I could play through,” he said. “I’m a warrior like everyone else in this league, and I wanted to play the full season. If it had dramatically bothered me, then we would have dealt with it sooner.

“But (McKeon) finally cleaned it out (two weeks ago),” said Terry. “Then I stayed in Boston to get my rehab going.”

Though he didn’t initially mesh with Rajon Rondo, hinting at midseason that he wasn’t getting the ball where he most needed it, Terry will certainly get a second chance to work things out with the point guard.

“Him coming back doesn’t change things from my perspective, but for me it’s all about health with him,” said Terry. “I’m looking forward to it. He’s already a player who plays with a chip on his shoulder, so you can imagine what he’ll be like now, with something else to prove now that he’s had surgery.”